Master and Second in Commander: The Beginning
by MovieLover06
Summary: There is a stranger found overboard near the HMS Surprise. But who is he? What plot does the stranger have against Jack Aubrey and his crew? You might understand the title by the end of the fic. R&R!


12/2005

"Master and Second-in-Commander: The Beginning"

By MovieLover06 (a.k.a. LedgerGrl22)

Disclaimer: I do not own "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" or any of its characters, except my own additions.

Summary: There is a stranger found overboard near the HMS Surprise. Who is he, and what plot does he have against Jack Aubrey and his crew? Please R&R, you may understand the title later on, I wasn't exactly sure what to call it at first. Oh well, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Man Overboard!

Troubled Blakeney sat on the deck of the HMS Surprise, it was a clear and starry night. He looked into the horizon and thought of Mr. Hollom, who had just left the world, one day ago. He turned around to go back down below when he noticed the captain was on deck as well. He walked quietly over to the starboard rail where the captain was in deep thought. He spoke quietly, "Couldn't sleep, sir?" The captain turned in surprise, and saw Blakeney. "No..." he sighed. Blakeney leaned over to the side rail of the vessel and looked up toward the stars. "It's a beautiful night." The captain strongly agreed, "Yes...Lord Blakeney, you should really go down below and get some rest." Blakeney nodded, "I will, sir." As Blakeney leaned over and peered down at the waves crashing against the ship's hull, he spotted a person floating by support of a barrel, very close to the ship. "Sir! There's a person down there!" Jack looked down to see that Blakeney was right. He quickly grabbed a rope attached to the side rail and dived into the water to fetch the helpless person. He was easily able to retrieve the stranger, by swooping the person into his hooked arm and remove them both from the cold, misty waters. Blakeney had been able to wake almost everyone below with his emergency call. The sailors came rushing to their captain, yelling, "Sir!" They successfully pulled Jack and the stranger both up.

Jack gently lay the stranger on the deck and ordered for assistance, "Mr. Hollar, fetch some blankets and the doctor!" Several men were needed to carry the unconscious stranger down to the infirmary, and then onto a bed. Then they wrapped him all in blankets. After all the commotion had settled down, Jack came down after Dr. maturing had finished examining him. "How is he, Stephen?" The doctor removed his glasses and sighed, "Well, after a full examination, **_she'll _**be fine." Jack was in shock, "She?" "She does much like a boy doesn't she? Yes...she has a small case of pneumonia, but I'll keep an eye on her." Jack nodded, and then thought aloud, "How does a girl come to be lost at sea?" The doctor merely shrugged.

The next day, the girl was watched over closely, by the doctor, Will, even the puzzled captain. In the early noon, Blakeney came down to the infirmary to sketch another of the small beetles he had come across while working above. As he sat down, a pair of eyes watched him from behind the shadows. There was a loud squeak from where the barrels of gunpowder was stored, Blakeney looked up quickly and saw a shadowy silhouette of someone behind a barrel. "Who's there?" Blakeney shouted. A quiet voice came from within the darkness of the corner, "Please lower your voice. I wish not to be noticed." The person came out into the light, and Blakeney recognized who it was immediately. "You're the girl we found overboard last night...who are you?" "Please don't tell anyone, promise me." Blakeney nodded and agreed hesitantly. "My name is Joey. I came on a boat from England, I wish to speak to your captain." As Blakeney began to reply, a shout came from above, "An albatross! Fetch Dr. Maturin!" Blakeney ran to the doctor's hammock to see he was not there. He then ran upstairs to the deck, and Joey began to follow.

Dr. Maturin instantly heard of this news and came bolting up to the deck. He glanced past the sails and masts to see an albatross circling around the ship. Jack could see it in his line of vision, and smiled. He walked over toward Stephen who was running to the starboard rail in order to get a better look. Joey saw this, and began to tread soft steps behind the captain, trying not to be noticed. Jack moved to Stephen's side, and chuckled to him, "You got your bird." As Joey looked around, she could see men running around with a rifle, trying to shoot the albatross down. The gun's line of fire got closer and closer to where the captain and doctor were standing, the captain remained unaware of the hazardous activity. As the albatross flew nearer and nearer to where the captain was standing, Jack began to turn around to oversee the work on the deck, and Joey ran to stop the officers from shooting in their direction. Jack looked around at all the busy workers, then thought of the girl in the infirmary: mainly her identity, and how she was doing medically. Jack turned to Stephen, who was still fascinated by the bird, and spoke, "Have you checked on the girl since of today?" Stephen kept his eyes on the bird while speaking to him, "Oh yes, Jack. I checked on her this morning, she had recovered from her slight case of pneumonia." Jack spoke again, "Thank you, Stephen." Jack looked toward the bow, he saw a person moving in front of him, he didn't recognize who was blocking him. The albatross flew under them and the shot rang out, the crew drew their attention to the starboard rail where they watched as the girl took the bullet and had saved their Captain. Jack watched as the person withheld her position, she had saved his life. Jack yelled to the doctor, finally realizing what had happened, "Stephen!" The girl fell onto the hard, wooden floor.

Stephen knelt down and checked Joey's wound, there was a wound of the left flank of her chest. Several from the crew came over and once again carried the girl carefully back down to the infirmary. Jack finally got a look of her face and realized it was the girl he had saved. He pondered to himself, "Who is she? Why did she save me?"

End... Update should be soon, hopefully. Please R&R!


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